'I thought drug testers wanted money for tea or fuel'

THREE-TIME world champion Asbel Kiprop said he paid drugs testers because he "thought they wanted the money for fuel or tea".

Kiprop, who won 1500m gold at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, tested positive for EPO out of competition in 2017.

The 28-year-old Kenyan alleged his sample "turned positive" because he did not give the testers enough money.

"It is rare for them to ask for money. They didn't specify the amount," Kiprop told BBC Sport.

"To me, I could trust them. It didn't even come into my mind that I was in a sensitive position." In May the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) rejected claims his sample was tampered with and that testers had asked him for money. Kiprop was tested on 27 November 2017 in Iten, Kenya, having been told the previous night that doping control officers would be visiting.

Although that is against protocol, Kiprop said he did not take it as “something serious” because it had happened before.

The AIU said Kiprop’s sample was not tampered with but said it is “extremely disappointing” he was given advance notice of the test.

He alleges a doping control officer one of two present asked for money before he had given a urine sample.

After supplying his sample, he left it unattended with the testers while he went to his bedroom to get his mobile phone, through which he paid them via electronic transfer.